TECCONTROL

1 founder, 2 subsidiaries, 50 employees

After obtaining his BTS in Sales Force, Gilles Simonessa joined the family business in 1997, where he successively held the positions of Sales Manager and Managing Director. He achieved his first external growth in 2002, then took charge of the sale of the family group to UTC (Carrier) in 2006. In 2011, after four years of successful collaboration, he decided to create TECCONTROL, to offer a solution for energy savings and thermal comfort. He and his team devise complete heating systems for single-family homes, businesses and the hospitality industry, integrating water storage tanks, control systems and various heating media. The company designs hybrid systems combining heat pumps with solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, to offer all the combinations needed to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. To build up his team, Gilles has surrounded himself with former employees of the family business, benefiting from their trust and expertise. Laura Houdusse, an experienced CFO with 10 years' experience, including 6 at TECCONTROL, contributes her expertise in financial management. Ludovic Manceau, Technical Director, oversees technical aspects and ensures continuous product innovation. Thomas Simonessa, Marketing Director, has been responsible for HVAC-TECCONTROL marketing since 2020. Today, the company employs around fifty people.

Gilles Simonessa

Founder & President

France needs to step up its decarbonization efforts now, particularly in the building sector. Indeed, the operation of buildings accounts for 47% of French energy consumption and generates 18% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These emissions are mainly due to heating and thermal needs, which still rely on fossil fuels for more than 50% of their consumption. Heat pumps combined with low-carbon energy, as allowed by the French energy mix, are an effective way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions linked to the heating of residential and tertiary buildings. In fact, the French government has set ambitious targets for CAPs as part of its Multi-Year Energy Plan (Programmation pluriannuelle de l'énergie - PPE). By 2028, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and Solidarity expects that heat pumps will help replace 10,000 coal-fired heating systems and over 1 million oil-fired boilers. However, while beneficial for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the massification of PAC distribution poses several significant challenges. Firstly, although France is the leading market for domestic heat pumps in Europe, it is essential to increase local production to reduce dependence on imports and support the economy. What's more, the technical complexity of heat pumps and the diversity of equipment mean that industry professionals need to be properly trained. On the ground, decarbonization is progressing well in new housing thanks to the RE2020 (Règlementation Environnementale 2020, which came into force on January 1, 2022 for the building industry), but there is still much to be done to renovate existing housing, which accounts for the bulk of the effort required.

In response to the growing use of heat pumps, TECCONTROL offers complete, integrated solutions with one main objective in mind: energy savings. This global and committed approach enables the Group to be competitive in the housing, commercial and agricultural markets. All the products distributed by TECCONTROL, whether of their own design or not, are complementary in this energy-saving objective (underfloor heating systems, hot water tanks, Air-to-Air, Air-to-Water, Geothermal heat pumps, etc.). Through its various subsidiaries, the group is able to control the entire value chain, from design to distribution: diagnostics adapted to the transition needs of each customer, training in the technicalities of the products distributed, and efficient after-sales service recognized by customers. TECCONTROL, enables users to manage their energy consumption efficiently, without loss of load, thanks to their Twido range of products. The company offers heat pumps using R744 fluids via their Air Heat products, which are non-flammable and non-toxic, unlike competing products. What's more, the global warming potential (GWP) of R744 is between 600 and 2,100 times lower than that of fluids used by other market players. Last but not least, the Group has opted for a major distribution partnership with Hitachi, whose production is 100% European, designing recognized top-of-the-range products.

TECCONTROL designs and distributes indoor heating and water heating products, generating profit margins on the products sold to its various clients. The company notably offers an expanded range of products to provide a complete solution focused on energy savings (such as solar panels powering heat pumps). 90% of its revenue comes from distribution, thanks to an exclusive contract in the Grand Ouest region with the Hitachi brand, which helps avoid direct competition. TECCONTROL's offer is not limited to design and distribution, as the SME also provides essential services such as customized studies to meet the specific needs of each client, technical training on products, and a responsive after-sales service renowned for its efficiency. To date, the company has over 2,400 clients in both the new construction and renovation sectors. Since 2017, TECCONTROL has experienced significant growth, peaking in 2022 with a turnover of 25 million euros. However, the years 2023 and 2024 were marked by a market contraction due to declining purchasing power and rising energy prices. Despite this slowdown, the sector is expected to see renewed activity in the coming years, driven by European regulations aimed at reducing energy consumption in homes. This will open new opportunities for companies offering innovative solutions. It is also important to note that the French heat pump market is currently the largest in Europe and still needs to massively convert to these energy-efficient technologies.

TECCONTROL's mission is to respond to both environmental and economic challenges, and focuses on three main impacts:

- facilitating the deployment of heat pumps: they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to the heating of residential and tertiary buildings, by covering the needs of players (installers, design offices, developers, etc.) across the entire value chain from design to marketing;

- energy independence and lower energy costs: by using local, sustainable heating solutions that are less exposed to the volatility of energy prices, by combining heat pump solutions with PV installations (Twido offer);

- European reindustrialization: thanks to an exclusive contract with a brand that is 100% European, designing recognized top-of-the-range products.